Anger in the wake of COVID

This is how it feels to lose someone to COVID

My family became a statistic last week with the death of my mother in law from Covid-19 in Los Angeles. We were barred from being there during her last moments.

She was robbed of her dignity during her last moments. She was alone, without her family during what I’m sure were her terrifying last moments when the ventilator was removed.

The hospital does not give two fucks about a 76 year old woman dying of this. They just want the bed.

My family is traumatized. Unless one has been directly impacted by this virus, one doesn’t know what the fuck is going on.

I’m fucking angry right now. Who do I see about this?

Who do I hold accountable? Costco? That’s the only public place she went in the weeks before she went to the hospital. Why? Because she needed toilet paper and cleaning supplies because of all the morons who stockpiled.

Do you have any idea what it’s like to witness a loved family member dying from three states away on FaceTime? Yes or no?

I don’t give a F*** if you’re GOP or Dem, it’s all meaningless in death.

Do you know what it’s like to have to call credit card companies and banks to deal with canceling credit cards and maintaining mortgages because of their death? Do you know what it’s like to not have a funeral service? Kristin Cheney, you’re goddamn right I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today and everyday since she’s been in the hospital. She had NO fight against anybody, no problems with anybody, but yet this woman was TAKEN from us because you f*** morons want to unnecessarily be out at the movies, getting your hair and nails did and go drinking at the bar.

I’m sorry YOUR home ain’t good enough for you to quarantine in so that we can save one life. Her life could have been saved if masks had been worn and the stores limited the amount of people in them. F*** you. F*** you all, you ignant f***.

(My friend lost her Mother in law to COVID this week. That lady won’t reanimate what’s the pandemic is over, she’s gone. She’s dead forever The pain is forever.

This was her testimony.)

I hope you don’t get Covid

I hope you don’t get Covid-19.
If you do catch it,
I hope you are asymptomatic.
If you have symptoms, I hope they are mild.
If they are severe, I hope you are not miserable.
If they are severe:
I hope you survive.
If you do survive I hope you don’t have Post ICU trauma (a real form of PTSD)
If you survive I hope you don’t have long term lung problems or long term neurological problems (which is the source of the lack of taste symptom), or heart issues : all documented in some post severe COVID patients.

I don’t know what the other long term after effects are, nobody does.

So please, play it safe – as inconvenient and lonely as that might be.

Not in my Hotel that I can’t afford

I am been used by the people who are outraged. They are outraged that homeless people might be housed in the Ritz or a fancy hotel.

These same people begrudgingly except the idea that a Motel 6 or other chain motel might be used to house homeless people during the time of COVID-19.

So, instead of being relieved that folks who are likely to contract Corona (and then breathe it onto people passing their bus benches or where they may be staying in public) have been removed to a location where they are removed from risk…people are angry that the proposed new location is TOO NICE

Wow. Just wow.

Even in life or death situations we are being elitist? That is crazy

Show & Tell

Dear @abc, @Nbc, and other news sites,

Do us all a favor and talk about more than the news. Spend 40 seconds and have your anchor people discuss their stress and fear. Let them admit to the camera how frustrating and scary the situation is, or let them brag about how they have it under control and the systems they have in place.

As a mental health professional I would like to see the faces that I trust take a minute and ground themselves on camera. I want to see them take a deep breath and close their eyes and talk about how they can feel the ground we need their feet, the chair underneath their bum, and the note cards in their hand.

Let your newscasters discuss the frustration of face masks. Have them show the backs of their ears where the elastic has been rubbing. Show off their collection of face masks that go with their various outfits.

Let us see their hands that are sore and cracking from hand washing and bleach handling.

We do not get to see our usual friends and so our television personalities are more important than ever. Be our trusted advisors. Continue to be our reliable sources of information. Most importantly, be our friends and neighbors who are having human reactions just like we are.

In these new and strange times where we are scared but also frustrated at the measures were asked to take, it would be so helpful to have the faces we trust to educate us about the situation also be the people giving examples of self care.

Like I said, 40 seconds is all I’m asking for out of a half hour news show.

Normalize self care.

Glenoaks and Paxton homeless encampment moved

This is from City Councilman Monica Rodriguez

“Today marks the culmination of a week-long housing and sanitation operation at Paxton and Bradley, more than a year in the making. Some noted that tents did not come down overnight. There was a lot of careful planning that went into ensuring the residents were housed, property managed in accordance with the law, and that our public right of way was properly cleaned and secured. In total, 65 individuals were housed, and over 15k tons of materials were removed.

The success of this operation was made possible through the courageous and compassionate outreach teams of LA Family Housing and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) —who have been engaging residents to build relationships and provide service over several months. I appreciate the partnership with LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl in securing additional resources to make that effort possible. Deepest gratitude to Los Angeles Sanitation & Environment, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services and LAPD Headquarters to make sure that everyone was safe in this process, and that the area was cleared for the public to utilize.

Since taking office two years ago, homelessness has been an issue that has rightfully monopolized our focus and resources. From leading reforms like the “Good Neighbor Policy” to innovating Navigation Centers that accelerate getting individuals and families off the street, I am focused and committed to getting this right for our neighborhoods, families, and kids.

The situation at Paxton and Bradley has been the source of greatest frustration to me and our community. This particular location, which is State Caltrans property, has made efforts more complicated. It’s taken an inexcusable amount of time to get multiple agencies to coordinate the appropriate services, but today I’m pleased with our collaborative efforts.

This represents an important public safety improvement for the area, and I will continue to work with our City departments and law enforcement to ensure that our public rights of way are maintained and most importantly safe for our community to use.”

“Welfare Queens” will survive the lockdowns better than you will

Some of you are experiencing your very first episode of not having money and the feeling of the world being out of your control, and it shows.

I want to tell you all to go find those “Welfare Moms” that you seem to despise and ask them how they are doing.

We got this buttoned down.
💡We know how to feed a family in $7 a day.
💰 We know our self worth is not tied to our bank account.
💰We know how to find freedom when our life is filled with restrictions.
💰 We know how to care for others when there is no one around to care for us.
💰We know how to wait it out while the people in power flex mess with your reality everyday “for your own good”.

So if you are struggling with this massive adjustment to your lifestyle, go find your poor friends or your formerly poor friends. We got you…We could teach a master class.

-Sonya

Have breathalyzer, will travel

I am on my way to go visit our patients in the shelters. I’m hoping to be able to connect to Microsoft teams so they can see their case managers or at least either faces. Right now the sense of isolation is pretty strong and that is really very bad for the mental health status of everybody.

Imagine that you had a serious mental health issue and are recovering from an addiction and all the sudden your support network has been made and accessible to you. It’s pretty bad out there y’all so I am doing my best to close the gap.

And yes, that is some of my old lularoe leggings being used as a mask.

It is 11pm and I’m at work

Drag your sleeping child to work night
Emergency plumbing outlet trap thingie

The shelter house was doing some kind of haunted plumbing acting n with sludge in the tubs and toilets.

I strongly believe everyone deserves a clean place to pee and shower so we went to meet the Root Rooter guy at 8pm. He arrived at 9:15 pm.

Dudes, I’m tired. I did 9 hours at work and got here me just in time for the call to come back.

Hands on Homeless Case Management is not a 9-5 job, or at least it never has been for me

Look at my orchid, is it toxic?

Now, a zoom in close for a better look…

  • People keep asking what I have taped to the window.
  • It’s just a list or reasons I might need to switch to a better plant or give up gardening for a while

Thank you. This orchid is so demanding and I feel like I can never keep it happy.

If you have friends that you want to check in with, please ask them to examine my orchid also.

Call 1-800- 799-7233 for the name of a really good gardener who can help you with this kind of plant relationship.

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